Exterior Trim and Misc – Ask a Pro Detailerhttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro
Auto Detailing Knowledge From Elite Pro DetailersTue, 26 Sep 2017 12:00:27 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.2Overlooked Areas: Gloss Black Trim on a 2017 Jaguar F-Pace Shttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/overlooked-areas-gloss-black-trim-on-a-2017-jaguar-f-pace-s/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/overlooked-areas-gloss-black-trim-on-a-2017-jaguar-f-pace-s/#commentsThu, 27 Jul 2017 12:00:27 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=22105Last summer I was contacted by the owner of a BMW who was very unhappy with the $2000+ detail he had just received from another local shop. He ask that I look the vehicle over for him and give him a quote to fix the issues. While there were several issues with the work done to the vehicle, the thing that stood out most to me was that the gloss black trim appeared untouched and was still very swirled up, which included the large B Pillars, which is arguably one of the very first things you see when entering the vehicle. Seeing the work done (or not done) to this vehicle was an inspiration for my article and when a newer Jaguar F-Pace S came in with the optional “black package” all swirled up, I knew it would make for a perfect example to my article.

I’m of the belief that a paint correction should involve all exterior painted surfaces being corrected to the same level. Performing paint correction on trim and other intricacies takes time and its tedious work, I get that, but when a customer is paying a lot of money for a high end paint correction, these are the things that need to be done.

This Jaguar came to me with just over 1000 miles on the clock and already had a lot of dealer installed swirls on it. In the below video, you can see just how swirled of the gloss black trim was on the vehicle prior to the paint correction.

When it comes to a high end detailing I feel no area should be overlooked. Taking the necessary time to properly polish all the black trim is just one area that will help separate you from your competition.

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/overlooked-areas-gloss-black-trim-on-a-2017-jaguar-f-pace-s/feed/12Convertible Top Care: RaggTopphttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/convertible-top-care-raggtopp/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/convertible-top-care-raggtopp/#commentsFri, 07 Jul 2017 12:00:46 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=22586While I don’t get a lot of Convertable cars here in Utah, Reflections Detailing usually get them when they are in dire need of some care. I recently had a buddy call me up and needed some scratch removal done on his Z4 BMW, and general “get her shiny and clean” type detail. When the car showed up I could see the Fabric rag top needed some love also, and this was confirmed in the wash process too. I figured this is the best time of the year to clean and reprotect your fabric convertible car, I decided to make an article out how to do this. I love RaggTopp, as its the approved cleaner and protectant for a vast majority of the rag top makers in the world.

First things first, find some shade and wash up the car. During the process assess the canvas rag top and see how is cleans up, and secondly check for stains. This top was free of any stains but it oozed dirt, so I continued to flood and brush the canvas till it rinsed clear and clean. I would also take a towel and use it to get into the area between the canvas and the body panel. This is a hard area to get to on some tops and it holds a lot of debris run off.

Next in the process is to use the dedicated cleaner and spray that on to help release the dirt and prep the surface for the protection. Yes, I’ve tried other “degreasers” out there for cleaning tops, but I have found that IF I follow up with the RaggTopp Protectant, their pre-cleaner likely allows the protection to have greater durability. I did an informal test a few years ago with a degreaser and RaggTopp Convertible Top Cleaner, then used the protection spray over both areas. The area with the degreaser didn’t hold up as long as the other. Not knowing the chemistry of the products I attributed the cleaner to leaving a property behind that interfered with the protection product. I like the Tuff Shine Brush as it’s flexible and yet stiff enough to agitate the surface.

I allowed the product to dwell as long as I could (in the shade) before rinsing well with water. Once was assured the fabric was rinsed well, I moved the car into the sun to help dry out the fabric. You will want is SUPER dry before you spray on the protection. After the cleaning steps, I noticed the fabric was darker in color too.

After a few hours of drying in the sun, I move the car into the shop to cool down. I had to pick off some debris that landed on the fabric. I would suggest you not pick a day when the pollen is flying! Once the fabric was cooled, it was time to mask off any areas of the car you wouldn’t want overspray onto (there is usually limited amounts). I also did the rag top before any polishing, so if I did get some overspray it would be easier to remove and not mess up my finish. I would suggest you cover the fabric top (after its fully dried again) with plastic during the polishing phase. This is an aerosol and has a pretty wide pattern IMO, so I tend to spray it closer to the fabric than the directions call for. Overlap your spray pattern and also go side to side, get maximum coverage! I work it into the fabric while wearing gloves as well, to get down into the fibers on the first coat. My second coat I work it in again and allow to dry for a period of time. Whatever is my final coat I just spray that coat on and allow it to dry. You will notice the fabric darkens some. I then gave it one more sun drying session, and make sure it’s dry before you cover it with plastic for the polishing phase of the job. Give the protection as many hours as possible before you get it wet again. Once the protection is set, I usually only need soap and water to clean it, and most times its just water.

Easy peasy and now is the time to get this job done!

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/convertible-top-care-raggtopp/feed/7Ford Focus RS: New Car Prep Detail & Paint Protection Film (PPF) Applicationhttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/ford-focus-rs-new-car-prep-detail-paint-protection-film-ppf-application/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/ford-focus-rs-new-car-prep-detail-paint-protection-film-ppf-application/#commentsThu, 20 Oct 2016 12:00:02 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=20426When the team heard a new Ford Focus RS was coming in, it is safe to say we were all a little giddy. I mean… a Nitrous Blue RS, that’s one sweet color and we couldn’t wait to get our hands on it.

Once the vehicle arrived, we performed our initial inspection, which mostly involved us drooling over the car.

We then brought it into the wash bay to begin our decontamination stages. We started with the wheels, giving them a thorough rinse followed by liberally spraying Gtechniq W6 Iron and General Fallout Cleaner onto the faces and barrels. We left the wheel cleaner to cling to the brake dust for about 2-3 minutes and agitated with a variety of boar’s hair brushes.

After the wheels were completed, we rinsed the body removing any loose dirt and debris.

We began the wash process with a Sonax Multi-Star APC foam bath. This step allowed the APC to loosen any bonded contamination and prepare the paintwork for a traditional 2×2 bucket wash. The APC bath has become one of our favorite methods in preparing paintwork prior to a traditional wash. It drastically reduces the risk of scratching while using a wash mitt.

Once the APC had been rinsed off, we switched over to another shop favorite… Chemical Guys Citrus Wash. We foamed the car down a second time and added a few drops of shampoo into our soap bucket. We carefully washed the whole vehicle, rinsing out our microfiber wash mitt often.

This vehicle was receiving our full front end paint protection film kit so we grabbed some foam swabs and went through all the cracks and crevices in order to remove any dirt that might find its way out during the film installation.

After the wash process, we clayed the paint using a 22ple prototype clay bar. We dried the vehicle with the Metro Master Blaster Revolution and a couple of Premium Shield microfiber towels.

After the wash, we pulled the car into the studio and began the dismantle process.

We removed the carpet engine liner to reach the washer jets. We then used a pry tool to pop the wash jets out, by doing this, the film would be allowed to lay flat and could be recessed under the washers.

We then began to wipe the paint down with IPA in order to remove any previous wax or sealant layers still left over from the wash. We then grabbed our Rupes Pen Light to do one more inspection before the PPF install.

We set up our LED lights in preparation for the PPF application. Right before the film was ready to be installed, we applied an adhesive promoter to all the edges to lessen the risk of any premature peeling.

Wesley laying down bulk paint protection film on the hood of the RS. By applying bulk film in this area, we have the ability to wrap all the edges and make it as seamless as possible.

We installed top coated film on the entire front end including the front bumper, full fenders, full hood, mirror caps, headlights and door cups.

Installing paint protection film on the headlights.

Door cup installation.

After the install, we heated up all the edges to prevent any dirt buildup underneath the film.

We gave the wheels a quick IPA wipe prior to sealing them with Sonax Rim Shield.

The tires on the RS had some pretty glossy dealership tire dressing so we removed that with some Tarminator and an all-purpose microfiber towel.

The client wanted the rear emblem removed so we heated it up and removed it with some fishing line. The left over adhesive was taken off with 3m adhesive remover.

We then applied 2 layers of Gtechniq C2V3 Liquid Crystal to the paintwork, trim and glass.

Gtechniq C2 (v3) Liquid Crystal will add gloss and protection to your paint in an easy to use spray on formula! C2 v3 is a high gloss spray-on coating that will blanket your vehicle in a highly reflective, glass-like finish

Wiping the door jambs down with an all-purpose microfiber and Sonax Brilliant Shine Detailer.

We applied Nanolex Tire and Rubber Restorer to the tires for a rich matte finish.

Looking for that product that makes your life a lot easier when dressing engine compartments? I have tried quite a few of the aerosol trim dressing for this type of work and I must say that I am thoroughly impressed with Stoner Trim Shine Vinyl & Plastic Coating. It takes very little product to restore a nice deep rich shine to all the plastic and trim pieces in the engine compartment or other areas of the vehicle, and is pretty much effortless. Below are all of the great areas Trim Shine can be used, along with other information that you can find directly on the label for this item.

Trim Shine Vinyl and Plastic Coating is the fast and easy way to coat vinyl, plastic and other automotive surfaces. Trim Shine Vinyl and Plastic Coating quickly coats:

Trim Shine Vinyl and Plastic Coating is so simple and easy to use, just spray and walk away.

The fast and easy way to give cars, trucks, vans, SUVs, RVs, motorcycles, and boats a like-new, showroom look.

Trim Shine Vinyl and Plastic Coating saves you time and effort. Requires no messy rubbing or wiping. No need to use cloths, wipes, or brushes.

Ideal for air dams, and other areas which are difficult or impossible to wipe.

Clear, colorless, non-corrosive, non-greasy, and long lasting. Safe to use on most materials, but always test first.

Here is a recent project I worked on where this product was used and provided excellent results in a very efficient manner.

I was performing a premium wheels off service on this 2016 Subaru WRX. With the wheels removed it is easy to give the wheel wells a good cleaning and dress them with a product to keep them protected. This photo shows the wheel well prior to being cleaned and dressed.

To clean the wheel wells, I actually like to use my Tornador Black with a 4:1 APC mixture. Spray onto the wheel well, let dwell, and just wipe it down with a damp All Purpose Microfiber Towel before rinsing. Once it is clean, a light coating was sprayed onto the plastic trim pieces within the wheel well, restoring a nice natural finish. This is typically that most detailers would over look, however with minimal time invested it can take your work to the next level.

For application, you can pretty much just spray on and walk away. It will be dry to the touch in a fairly short period of time, however you can also spray it on and wipe it off if you are in a hurry during the application.

This is a before picture of the engine compartment prior to being cleaned. While this is a fairly new car with lower miles on it, it does not take long for your engine compartment to become dirty.

Another before photo from a different angle.

I rinsed down the engine bay prior to spraying down with Meguiar’s Super Degreaser and used the EZ Detail Brushes for cleaning those hard to reach places. Once the engine was cleaned and dried, the coating was evenly applied and left to dry. Stoner Trim Shine leave a nice glossy finish while not leaving a greasy surface like many dressing do.

Another thing to take note of, I usually apply Trim Shine prior to finishing up the remainder of the exterior as you will get over spray on other areas of the car. So this should not be the last thing you are doing, unless you do cover areas of the car around the area that you are spraying. I will typically spray the area to be covered, and then wipe the painted surfaces around that area with either CarPro Eraser or Meguiar’s Final Touch QD Spray.

I am not one to just jump on a new product. However, when the opportunity to try out and test Forma Car Wash Shampoo came up I was very curious. The product has some very appealing characteristics so I decided to test it out and give it a firm, fair and thorough test. The results surprised me.

This product interested me since Forma claims the car wash shampoo: makes great foam, is pH balanced and safe for use on coatings, but able to strip wax and other sealants with a stronger dilution. I will say that with an initial opening of the top, it smelled great!

Since the majority of Signature Detailing’s business revolves around paint correction and ceramic coatings, we decided to perform a test maintenance wash on a previously coated vehicle. Most testing was done using a traditional bucket wash method, since that is how the majority of owners and enthusiasts maintain their vehicle finish. However, we did include some notes on the using it in a foam cannon.

Traditional Bucket Wash Method Test

To provide a real world test of Forma Car Wash Shampoo, we decided to clean one section with a traditional wash method since many people do not have pressure washers with foam cannons. So we filled up the bucket with a gallon of water and 1/2 oz. of the shampoo. After properly filling the bucket with water and the recommend dilution of shampoo, the bucket looked like it was a huge cappuccino because there was so much foam.

In both washing scenarios, Forma Car Wash Shampoo rinsed cleanly, leaving behind no residue. The result was a vehicle with a nice finish that wasn’t sticky or smeary in any way.

Foam Cannon Wash Method Test

In preparing the cannon we filled it with warm water and 2 ounces of the shampoo to ensure we a good amount of rich foam. After an initial rinse to knock off the loose dirt and contaminants, the car was foamed up. It sat about 2-3 minutes in order to let the car wash shampoo soak in and help loosen up the dirt and bonded contaminants that were clinging to the vehicle’s surface. And, boy oh boy, did it make a good amount of foam!

Then using a microfiber washing mitt, the car was washed. The shampoo added a good amount of lubricity to the washing process so that the mitt felt to be continuously gliding over the surface, instead of dragging over the dirty areas. Overall, it was a great choice for the foam cannon.

Conclusion

Between the two wash methods, Forma Car Wash Shampoo proved to be a surprising hit in the shop. It foamed brilliantly, added great lubricity to the surface, smelled great, and seemed to do a great job in helping lift stubborn contaminants off the surface before/during the washing process. We used it on paint, paint protection film (PPF), and wheels and it worked equally well on all surfaces without leaving any residue behind. As a quick reminder, please remember that whenever using this product, start with a good strong shake; since the product has a tendency to separate.

Below we list the pros and cons of Forma Car Wash Shampoo. While the cons are, admittedly, very minor, we still needed to list them to be fair across the board. Honestly, paying a little extra for a product that will help better protect and clean your vehicle in a safe and easy way is something we highly endorse, so we don’t see cost as a major issue in the big scheme of car care.

Pros:

Good Lubricity.

Good Foam.

Amazing Smell.

Cons:

This product separates in the bottle. It needs a good shaking before use.

Could become expensive if the product is not used according to directions.

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/initial-impressions-forma-car-wash-shampoo/feed/2Initial Impressions: Forma Car Care RVP Trim Shinehttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/initial-impressions-forma-car-care-rvp-trim-shine/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/initial-impressions-forma-car-care-rvp-trim-shine/#commentsFri, 26 Aug 2016 14:28:08 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=20492If you’ve been keeping up with my articles over the years, you’ve probably realized I have a thing for great looking tires. To me, a well dressed tire is the “cherry on top” of a great detail. After spending hours and hours cleaning, decontaminating, polishing, and coating a vehicle, the tire dressing is one of the final steps and really gives the car that finished look. So naturally, when I was asked to try this new product from Forma Car Care, I was happy to do it!

I had the perfect candidate for a new tire dressing review. This BMW M4 is equipped with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, which are some of my favorite tires to dress due to their smooth sidewalls that are absent of deep groves and lettering like most modern tires.

I started with a clean tire that already looked very nice, but it was lacking that deep, dark look that I love.

Forma RVP Trim Shine, which stands for Rubber Vinyl Plastic, is a thin, white liquid, and comes in a nice spray bottle for easy dispensing. I used the “mist” setting on the spray nozzle, and applied 2 sprays of product onto a new tire shine applicator before wiping the product evenly onto the tire. The product spread very easily, and left a nice, even finish. After roughly 30 minutes, the tire was nearly dry to the touch, leaving very little residue on my finger. Based on this, I do not expect this product to sling when applied properly (How to Avoid Tire Dressing Sling).

The finish was very dark, with a nice level of shine, that was not too glossy, and not too matte. It was actually perfect for my particular taste, however Forma does indicate that the product can be layered for additional shine or diluted up to 2:1 (water:product) to reduce shine.

As the name implies, RVP Trim Shine can also be used on plastic and vinyl surfaces such as interior and exterior trim. My personal vehicle has a wiper cowl that is beginning to fade, so I figured it would be a great place to try RVP on trim.

As with the tires, RVP was very easy to apply to the trim and went on evenly without any real effort. The final result was a considerably darker piece of plastic that looked very natural.

This was my first time using this product, so I cannot weigh in on how long the product lasts, but I do intend to do some more testing on my personal vehicle and I will leave a comment below with my findings. My initial impressions are that the product is very easy to use and produces great looking trim and tires. The bottle does indicate that this can be used on leather and interior plastics for UV protection, but I do not prefer shiny leather or interior plastics so I did not experiment with either of these applications. If this product proves to hold up as well, or better, then my current go-to tire and trim products, I will certainly consider using it on a regular basis.

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/initial-impressions-forma-car-care-rvp-trim-shine/feed/14Product Review: Chemical Guys Metal Polishhttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-chemical-guys-metal-polish/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-chemical-guys-metal-polish/#commentsTue, 23 Aug 2016 12:00:00 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=20057Chemical Guys Metal Polish is a product we have been using for years. It has always produced excellent results for us, and a single bottle will get me through a couple of years of exhaust tip cleaning! This is a process that we don’t get too many questions on, and therefore have never considered writing a review on the products we use, but this past week I had another great reminder of why we continue to this product that I wanted to share.

We were working on this gorgeous 2015 Porsche Cayman GTS. The bright silver paint was contrasted nicely with all of the black accents such as the headlights, plastic trim, window trim, and badges.

When we got to the exhaust, the dark black finish seemed to go right along with the rest of the color scheme, so at first we assumed it was just part of the overall look of the car… until we took a closer look and saw a glimmer of shine beneath that heavy black build up.

Believe it or not, the tips were originally a highly polished finish! We were quite shocked, and so was the owner. He purchased the car used and assumed they were a black finish since the first day he owned it. This transformation took just a few minutes per tip.

A perfectly polished exhaust tip is a great addition to a perfectly polished paint job. Most vehicle owners neglect to maintain their tips, leaving them looking dull and dirty. Chemical Guys Metal Polish makes quick work of exhaust build up.

For heavier build up, which is quite common on the inner surfaces and edges of exhaust tips, we apply the polish onto #0000 Super Fine Steel Wool. Rub the polish and steel wool against the metal, working in small areas, until clean. You may need to repeat this process a few times on tips that have excessive build up. Follow up with a microfiber or foam applicator and metal polish to refine the finish even more.

For lighter build up, there is no need to use steel wool. Simply apply a small amount of metal polish onto a black microfiber towel or applicator and work the polish against the metal. Work in small sections and add more polish as needed. Wipe the residue away with a clean towel and your tips will look like new!

Chemical Guys Metal Polish can be used on chrome, stainless steel, aluminum, and copper surfaces. From exhaust tips, to wheels, to motorcycle parts, and everything else, this polish will make it shine! Another great part about this product is that it leaves a layer of protection behind after polishing. This helps make subsequent cleaning easier.

If you’ve got some metal that needs to shine, check out the Chemical Guys Metal Polish.

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-chemical-guys-metal-polish/feed/7Product Review: 303 Automotive Tonneau Cover & Convertible Top Cleanerhttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-303-automotive-tonneau-cover-convertible-top-cleaner/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-303-automotive-tonneau-cover-convertible-top-cleaner/#commentsTue, 26 Jul 2016 12:00:10 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=19493Tired of having a convertible top that looks filthy? While there are many convertible top cleaners on the market and most will work just fine, I personally prefer 303’s products. They have a reputation for great products, 303 Automotive Tonneau Cover and Convertible Top Cleaner is just another of their products to add to that list. An extremely easy product to use while producing outstanding results.

Here is the product description as posted on Detailed Image.

Product Description

The 303 Automotive Tonneau Cover & Convertible Top Cleaner is a specially formulated cleaner, that will help you bring your convertible top back to life! This cleaner will get deep into the pores of your convertible top and bring soil and other contamination to the surface for removal. Apply evenly with a light spray over a wet surface and agitate with a damp towel or brush as needed. If you have heavier contamination to remove, rinse the surface and repeat the application until it is removed. It is safe to use on any fabric tops, vinyl, plastic, rubber, carpets and much more. This product will only clean, so we highly recommend applying a protectant to the surface once you are finished. If you have a dirty convertible top, pick up the 303 Automotive Tonneau Cover & Convertible Top Cleaner and bring your top back to that like new condition quickly and easily!

For my example I am using a 2001 Porsche Boxster with a black soft top. The top is in really good condition, however is in need of a very thorough cleaning.

The Boxster had been parked most of the winter in the owner’s garage and was quite dusty. You can see in this picture that it looked slightly discolored and had some dirt and lint on it.

The first step in cleaning the top is to thoroughly rinse the top and remove any heavier dirt or debris that might be present on the surface of the top.

Once thoroughly rinsed and wet you will apply a generous even amount of 303 Automotive Tonneau Cover and Convertible Top Cleaner over the entire top while it is still wet.

With the product applied you will want to take a soft brush and scrub the entire top. I like using one of Detailed Image’s Horse Hair Upholstery Brushes as they have fairly soft bristles and is very unlikely to cause any damage to the top.

At this point the entire top was thoroughly scrubbed and ready to be rinsed off.

Being that the top on this car was not nearly as dirty as most, it was fully cleaned after one application. If you are dealing with a top that has heavy soiling on it, you may need to apply a generous amount of product on the top and leave it sit for 15-20 minutes to fully break down the stains and dirt. You will want to let it sit before brushing and in some cases may need to do more than one application to fully clean the surface.

Once the top has been cleaned and dried you should be left with a nice clean surface as pictured. At this point your top is prepared to apply a protectant such as 303 Aerospace Protectant or 303 Fabric Guard depending on the material that your top is made of. You want to keep your top protected as it will prolong the life span of the top.

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]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-303-automotive-tonneau-cover-convertible-top-cleaner/feed/5Product Review: Meguiar’s Unigrit 1000 and 3000 Foam Finishing Discshttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-meguiars-unigrit-1000-and-3000-foam-finishing-discs/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-meguiars-unigrit-1000-and-3000-foam-finishing-discs/#commentsTue, 05 Jul 2016 12:00:43 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=17606Meguiar’s Unigrit 1000 and 3000 Foam Finishing Discs are a great product for any experienced detailer to keep on hand, whether spot sanding minor defects on painted surfaces or fixing your oxidized headlight lenses. The Unigrit discs are available in both 3″discs for spot sanding or 6″ discs if you are color sanding an entire exterior of a vehicle.

As with all my product reviews, here is the product description as provided on Detailed Image.

Product Description

The Meguiar’s Unigrit Finishing Disc’s make removing fine imperfections from your paint fast and easy! It can help you remove scratches, water marks, bird droppings, orange peel from the paint or restore oxidized and faded headlights. These ultra fine sanding pads are very user friendly as they help quickly remove blemishes with little effort and bare minimal haze, if any at all. Simply attach your Meguiar’s Foam Sanding Interface (3″) to your buffer and the hook and loop backing on your Unigrit Finishing Disc will secure the pad to the interface. Spray the Finishing Disc and the area you want to sand with some water. On a lower speed setting using minimal pressure buff away the imperfections just like you would with a polish. We recommend checking your work and cleaning the pad frequently. To clean the pad, spray the pad with some water and run your finger or a clean microfiber along this pad to remove any residue, it’s that simple! We always recommend starting with the least aggressive sanding pad and working your way up to the more aggressive pads as needed. If you are looking for an easy way to remove noticeable imperfections from your paint, look no further than the Meguiar’s Unigrit Finishing Disc’s!

During my review I used the 1000 and 3000 grit discs for a headlight restoration on a severely oxidized set of lights. The Unigrit 1000 discs worked very quickly at cleaning up the sanding marks caused by the 600 grit sand paper used in the previous step of the head light restoration process. You will need to keep the disc wet in order to prolong the life of the disc. I like using air every so often to blow the disc off in order to keep a nice clean face. It is also important to keep the disc clean in order to achieve the maximum amount of correction and cut.

The Meguiar’s Unigrit discs can also be used for more than just head light restoration jobs. They are great for spot repairs to remove scratches or orange peel removal before compounding and polishing. You need to be extremely careful when doing any type of sanding on the finish of your vehicle, and be certain that you have enough clear or paint to work with before proceeding as it does not take long to cause damage if not done properly. It is always critical to take some paint readings with a tool such as the DeFelsko PosiTest DFT Paint Thickness Gage or even the Highline Meter Paint Thickness Gauge as most factory clears are very thin. You will also want to use the interface pad along with the discs when working on paint as this will allow the disc to properly conform to surface greatly reducing the chances of damage.

Okay, I haven’t heard the last one, except at SEMA as a joke, but at the rate marketing claims are going it seems to be just a matter of time. Remember the quote from the movie Tommy Boy; “They know that all they sold you was a guaranteed piece of crap. If you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will.”

In a world filled with empty promises and smiles, the coating market is surely NOT exempt. Some coatings even go so far as to aggressively name their product to sound like a type of super hero armor, yet these same coatings hardly last a year and offer next to no protection.

Warranty Promises:

The largest issue with automotive based coatings tends to be the magical promises made within the ‘warranty’. While they tend to promise the world up front, when it comes to the fine print, the loop holes to allow the companies to not provide warranty service are as frequent as the holes in Swiss cheese.

A large majority of automotive coating manufacturers have loopholes within their warranties to allow easy denial of potential claims. This is because many of the automotive coating companies have an actual insurance company underwrite their warranty. So, what good is a warranty if all they are going to do is deny your claim to keep their premiums down?

An example of a typical disqualification clause within warranties:

VOID IF: … “the owner has deemed to have been careless, negligent, or fails to maintain the exterior painted surface in the correct manner.”

This is clearly a blanket statement to avoid potential claims to be made against the company.

Coating Marketing Claims:

As mentioned earlier, another big issue with many coatings being sold today is the misleading or outright false information claims either make or infer. For example, the advertising will make frequent mention of common defects such as: Swirl marks, marring, scratches, scuffs, scrapes, chips to the painted surface:

Even though many of these companies exclude these defects from the warranty, the marketing departments of these manufacturers advertise these defects are prevented. In simple terms, straight out lying to customers to drive business. The problem isn’t with the coatings, problem lies at the methods in which many of them are marketed and sold.

Some coating companies will encourage detailers to “pad” or add a percentage into your prices during the initial service to cover any future claims. What they are saying is that the installer should expect some issues and get paid for those issues up front.

Instead of placing all your faith in the coating itself, put that faith in a professional that understands automotive protection and provides excellent customer service. An honest detailer will tell you that a coating will make maintenance washes faster and easier and the car should stay cleaner longer than a non-coated car. If they promise more than that, then just make sure you do your homework as a consumer. While a coating can help prevent fine swirl marks from improper washing, that is not the main intent. Coatings mainly function to add hydrophobic properties to the paint system with some additional UV and chemical resistance. So if you’re relying on a coating to prevent scratches and swirls, I think you will end up being upset with a coating.

As with anything, neglect will take its toll on a coating. If not properly maintained, you will never see the long term benefits of a coating. Regular washing is an important part of maintaining a coating on your car in order to keep the protection benefits intact.

Conclusion:

The detailing market is being flooded with new coatings everyday – each one promising more and more. How can they tell you that it will last 5+ years if it was only released 2 weeks ago?

There are a few signs of an “over promised” coating. Lighters – if you see them hitting cars with lighters, that’s a sign they are reaching. Fire – if they are lighting their cars on fire, that also is another pointless demonstration that has nothing to do with real world use.

Since paint coatings are the evolution and future of surface care, when you’re choosing a coating, the most important variable is the detailer installing the product, not the coating alone. A quality detailer will be upfront and honest with you with what let you know works and what is just snake oil. In the end, the warranty will fall back upon the installing detailer to take care of any issues that may arise. So in the end, the warranty is only as good as the detailer installing it to begin with.

Nothing makes all your hard work after perfecting the paint look more incomplete then old faded trim. I seem to have a weak spot for trying lots of different trim coatings, and I must say that Gtechniq C4 Permanent Trim Restorer certainly has become one of my favorites to use since trying it. As with most of the trim coatings on the market, C4 is claiming a durability of roughly 24 months.

Product Description

Gtechniq C4 is not just your regular trim coating, it will bond to your trim restoring it to like new condition with ease! Most trim restorers or protectants are shiny coatings that sit on top of the plastic and they only provide temporary shine and color restoration. C4 actually swaps part of its molecular structure with the surface molecules of your car’s trim! This allows the C4 to keep your trim looking brand new for up to two years! Use C4 on trim, weather stripping, plastic mirrors, battery covers, hoses, etc. If you are looking to restore your trim to like new condition grab a bottle of the C4 Permanent Trim Restorer today!

Application Information

Do not dilute

Apply at a temperature above 40 degrees F and not in direct sunlight

If applying indoors ensure that there is adequate ventilation and wear protective gloves

Ensure that the surface to be coated is entirely free from fats/oils or previously applied products

Use the lint free application pads supplied to spread the coating onto the trim

Because the coating forms its bond immediately it is very important to remove excess coating from the treated surface and any that has gone onto the vehicles bodywork or glass within 5 minutes of application

To remove residue, use a clean microfiber cloth

Pictured below is cowl trim piece on a Porsche Boxster, and you will notice how faded or aged it looks. Over time with exposure to the sun all trim will begin to look like this if not properly cared for and protected. This is where a product like Gtechniq C4 is perfect.

Application is quite simple with C4. Included in the kit is everything you will need to use, including cotton applicators that will be used to apply the product. You will apply a small amount of coating on the applicator to start applying. A small amount will go a long way when using this product, and you will want to be sure that you are applying the product evenly.

You can see that once dried the product will drastically darken the trim leaving a dark, rich sheen on the trim.

The rear bumper guards also were in poor condition and needed some attention. These were cleaned just like all the other trim pieces before applying the coating.

For the application of C4 on these, I preferred to use a detailing swab as this was easier to get into the tighter spaces recessed into the bumper cover.

As with the cowl trim, you can see that the dark color has been restored to the piece and should remain for upwards of 2 years.

The one on the left is cleaned and has the coating applied, while the one on the right is still in the condition that the car arrived in.

If you are wanting a product that is extremely easy to use that will darken and protect your trim for years, not weeks or months then you will certainly want to give Gtechniq C4 a try.

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-gtechniq-c4-permanent-trim-restorer/feed/17Product Review: 22ple VM1 Extreme Rim and Metal Coatinghttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-22ple-vm1-extreme-rim-and-metal-coating/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-22ple-vm1-extreme-rim-and-metal-coating/#commentsMon, 02 May 2016 12:00:51 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=1878722ple continues to raise the bar with their products with the introduction of VM1 Extreme Rim and Metal Coating. They have reformulated and refined the previous version of VM1 for enhanced durability, chemical resistance and gloss. Wheels are exposed to some of the harshest elements of any part on the exterior of your vehicle. Unlike traditional sealants, VM1 Extreme offers durability of 3-5 years depending on how many layers you apply to the wheel. The coating is formulated to withstand temperatures of nearly 700 degrees from exposure to heat generated during braking. Without proper protection it does not take long for the finish on a set of wheels to begin to fail.

For this example, I am coating the face of one of the wheels on my 3 series BMW. BMW’s are known for generating a fair amount of brake dust, resulting in wheels that look dirty rather quickly. Brake dust can also be very corrosive to the coating on your wheels.

Typically, I would pull the wheel off and do the face and barrel when doing wheel coatings, however in this example I am only going to be doing the face. Application is fairly straight forward, like any other wheel coating you may have previously used. You will want to thoroughly clean and decontaminate the surface your placing the coating on.

I sprayed the wheel down with some Meguiar’s Wheel Brighter and agitated with a wheel brush for the initial cleaning. As mentioned earlier I am only going to be coating the face on these wheels so I did not clean into the barrels on the wheels. It should be noted that you do want to get the wheel as clean as possible before applying the coating.

I followed up the washing process with a quick pass of Meguiar’s M205 to further clean up the surface. The wheel was then sprayed with Eraser for a final wipe down before the coating installation, you could also use an IPA for the wipe down if you do not have Eraser. Typically, it would be a good idea to use a product like Iron-X on the wheel to remove any brakes dust or iron deposits on the surface of the wheel.

At this point you have a nice clean surface to being the installation. I typically like to airbrush wheel coatings, but due to the higher cost of this product I will hand apply the product as there is far less product wasted when applied by hand. You will want to be certain the surface is cool and completely dry before beginning application of the coating.

Here are the applications that are recommended by 22ple and posted on Detailed Image.

22ple Application Instructions:

Ensure the surface is cleaned & polished.

Remove all oil/polishes on the surface by doing an IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) wipe down. Use a mixture of 50% Isopropyl Alcohol with 50% distilled water.

Please make sure the surfaces are cool and TOTALLY dry before applying the glass coat.

Pour a small amount of glass coat liquid onto the 22ple Glass Coat Applicator (Double Sided) and apply to the metal surface. Do not over-apply as it does not give you additional benefit, but it might make it difficult to remove.

Allow approx. 4~6 hours for the coating to settle, reapply a second layer as necessary.

It is highly recommended to cure the coated surface under infrared curing lamp.

If you choose to cure the glass coat with the aid of infra-red curing lamp. You may use the following settings as a guideline: Set temperature at 65 degrees C / 150 degrees F, cure for between 6 to 8 minutes at a distance of 2 feet

For application of the product you can use a 22ple double side applicator or a 4″ x 4″ Carpro Suede Applicator like I used during this application, as I have many of them laying around. You want to apply the product on the entire wheel taking care to apply the product evenly over the surface. As shown in the picture below you will want to run a solid line of coating across the applicator to begin applying the coating.

After being allowed to sit for roughly 5 minutes or slightly longer if applied in cooler temps, you will want to take a clean microfiber clothe and lightly buff off any high spots or remaining coating residue. It is recommended to allow the coating to cure for minimum of 4-6 hours, although 22ple highly recommends that you cure the coating with an IR curing lamp at a temp of 150ºF for 6-8 minutes. At this point you can apply additional coating for enhanced durability. 22ple is claiming 3-5 years of durability with 2-3 coats applied to the surface.

If you are tired of spending a good amount of time trying to clean your wheels, a wheel coating is the perfect option for you. Wheel cleaning has never been so quick and simple!

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-22ple-vm1-extreme-rim-and-metal-coating/feed/10Tutorial: How to Safely Remove Clear Brahttp://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/tutorial-how-to-safely-remove-clear-bra/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/tutorial-how-to-safely-remove-clear-bra/#commentsThu, 21 Apr 2016 12:00:53 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=19432For some DIY’ers or budget minded folks, removing clear bra can be a task that when done safely will keep some money in their pocket. But there is a lot of information about removing clear bra and it can be overwhelming. How can you know what’s the best way to do it? A misstep can mean permanently damaged paint!

I created the following video that explains many of the nuances of safely removing clear bra in detail.

(If your clear bra is far beyond healthy, is cracking or shredding, this is not the correct video for you. The next time we have a project that has shredding or cracked clear bra we will try to get some video and explain that process as well. This video is for clear bra that is not well beyond it’s reasonable life expectancy.)

If you have any questions or concerns about your clear bra removal, please do not hesitate to ask!

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/tutorial-how-to-safely-remove-clear-bra/feed/5Porsche 918 Spyder Project: Paint Protection Film Installation (Part 2)http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/porsche-918-spyder-project-paint-protection-film-installation-part-2/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/porsche-918-spyder-project-paint-protection-film-installation-part-2/#commentsThu, 07 Apr 2016 12:00:24 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=19272This is the second part of a four-part article series by James Melfi of Auto Nuvo. In this series, James takes a beautiful jet black Porsche 918 Spyder and performs various detailing steps. Everything from inspection, washing, drying, polishing and even clear bra installation will be covered! To view all of the articles in this series click here.

Once the vehicle was fully corrected, we brought it outside and rewashed the car removing any polishing dust buildup. We then wiped the paintwork twice with IPA, preparing the surface for the paint protection film installation. We wanted to ensure there wasn’t any contamination on the paint prior to laying down the film.

The plan was to cover every exterior panel as well as the carbon fiber door sills. Our top coated, 7 mills thick paint protection film adds rock chip and scratch resistance, and protects the super soft paint from etchings and wash induced marring. Since the paint was so soft, wrapping the entire vehicle will allow the finish to stay in much better condition without the worry of marring during each wash. We tucked and wrapped all the edges for a seamless install and a much better overall appearance.

In part 3, James will apply a ceramic coating and share some awesome final photos and video of the project!

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/porsche-918-spyder-project-paint-protection-film-installation-part-2/feed/11Porsche 918 Spyder Project: Inspection, Wash Process, Paint Correction, Clear Bra Template Creation (Part 1)http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/porsche-918-spyder-project-inspection-wash-process-paint-correction-clear-bra-template-creation-part-1/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/porsche-918-spyder-project-inspection-wash-process-paint-correction-clear-bra-template-creation-part-1/#commentsTue, 05 Apr 2016 12:00:34 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=19262This is the first part of a four-part article series by James Melfi of Auto Nuvo. In this series, James takes a beautiful jet black Porsche 918 Spyder and performs various detailing steps. Everything from inspection, washing, drying, polishing and even clear bra installation will be covered! To view all of the articles in this series click here.

The Porsche 918 Spyder is an 887 horsepower hybrid–that felt weird to say. This vehicle really is the culmination of automotive engineering, bringing together advances derived from fuel efficient vehicles and basically saying, “Well, how can we make this car even faster using that technology?”

This project totaled over 7 days and around 50 hours culminating to our Ultimate New Car Preparation Package. This package brings together paint correction, paint protection film and ceramic coatings to take surface protection to a different level.

Inspection

When we got the call to inspect a brand new, just delivered, jet black Porsche 918, you can expect that we were a little excited. When we arrived at our clients home early the first day we pulled out all the toys to thoroughly inspect the paintwork and determine what it required to achieve the ultimate finish. We first inspected the paint with a variety of LED lights, ranging from our favorite Rupes Pen Light to our custom built 5600 lumen light stands. We grabbed our MacBook Pro and Dino-Lite Microscope to take a closer look at some areas of concern. Next we pulled the car outside to inspect it under natural sunlight, this is what we found and boy, the sun doesn’t lie.

Lots of swirls marks and light scratches dulling the paintwork and taking away from the potential of the pure black paint.

Pigtails and left over sanding marks all over the finish.

Scuff marks riddled all over the paint.

Wash Process

Once we finished the inspection we decided on proceeding with the wash before we made our final decision on how to approach the polishing steps. We wanted to be certain we were seeing the true finish and strip away any wax or detail spray possibly hiding some defects. We started with the magnesium wheels and carefully cleaned them with a mild citrus shampoo and a variety of wheel brushes. We made certain to clean the wheels with pH balanced cleaners in order to protect the sensitive carbon ceramic brakes. The wheel wells and tires were cleaned with Sonax Multi-Star APC at a dilution of 10-1. After the wheels, we proceeded with rinsing down the whole vehicle– removing any loose debris. We washed all the painted surfaces with Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and a few CarPro BOA orange towels to lightly strip any previous protection and cleanse the surface.

We dried the vehicle with the Metro Master Blaster Revolution and a few DI Waffle Weave Drying Towels. Once dried, we grabbed a bottle of 50/50 IPA and wiped down each panel. At this point, we had a clear picture of the extent of the damage. The client and I both agreed to conduct a multi-stage correction utilizing a light compounding step to remove the sanding marks, pig tails and light scuff marks, followed by a refining step to enhance the gloss and remove any haze left over.

Before we could begin with the correction, we first had to call in our friends from Premium Shield to create custom paint protection film templates. At the time there wasn’t a full car clear bra kit available, so we had to go out and create our own. Each panel, wing, fender flare and door sill had to be methodically traced with transfer paper in order to digitize a custom template. This process was a slow one but vital in order to ensure complete coverage. This car was going to be tracked and required strong protection against rock chips and sand. We decided on wrapping the entire vehicle with top coated, self-healing paint protection film.

Correction Process

This jet black Porsche paint was extremely soft and required a specific procedure to cut away the swirls and scratches while leaving a uniform defect to easily refine. We used Meguiar’s D300 paired with a Meguiar’s MFFD on the Rupes 21 which cut away the defects and left a uniform haze. We used our Rupes 75E Mini and Rupes LHR75 air powered tool to correct all the intricate areas. The polishing stage was the most time consuming after we quickly learned conventional finishing polishes weren’t clearing the haze left over from the compounding step. Therefore, we needed to look elsewhere and I made a call to Kevin Brown where I explained the situation. He advised to try a procedure called water polishing. I grabbed a 32 ounce spray bottle and filled it with distilled water. Then I added 12 drops of Meguiar’s M205 Finishing Polish. I know this seems crazy but trust me, it saved us hours of polishing time. I misted the polish and water solution directly on the pad and worked it in with the Griots G110 and a combination of Meguiar’s 5.5 inch cutting and finishing discs at low speed, making sure the backing plate was always rotating. This method cleared up the haze where conventional polishes had repeatedly failed.

CarPro, the producer of CQuartz has many great products ranging from chemicals to coatings. CQuartz is very well known coating line in the detailing community. CQuartz DLUX Plastic & Wheel Protection is more widely known for use on plastic trim, such as demonstrated in Zach McGovern’s previous review of DLUX. However, DLUX is also a great option for wheel protection with a high resistance extreme temperatures (800+ degrees F), while also being safe for use on almost any wheel finish.

Here is the product description as provided be Detailed Image.

Product Description

The CarPro Cquartz DLUX Plastic and Wheel Coating is a semi-permanent coating that will protect and restore your automotive pieces. DLUX contains more than 50% pure silica. This high purity percentage ensures having the most transparent glass coating over the surface, high levels of water repellency and long lasting paint protection from dirt, road salt, ice, snow, and other environmental contamination. DLUX will also coat plastic and rubber while restoring faded pieces and providing a low-gloss, like-new factory finish. CQuartz DLUX forms an incredible bond with the surface it lasts for up to one year! Check out the application instructions below and make sure you clean the surface thoroughly before applying. Protect your wheels and restore your rubber and plastic with the CarPro Cquartz DLUX Plastic and Wheel Coating!

In this example I recently performed a wheels off service on this 2010 Volkswagen GTI. The owner was not happy with how difficult it was to clean his wheels, as they always seemed to look dirty.

After the exterior of car was cleaned it was pulled inside and placed on the lift to remove the wheels for the remainder of the service. You will find it much easier to place the car on either a lift or jack stands when working with wheels, unless you are just going to be coating the faces of the wheels. It will make the process much easier as the wheels will need to be off the car for a while when coating them. You would also only be able to work on the wheels from one of the vehicles at a time, which would take a good amount of time and really slow down the process. When jacking the car up on a lift, you can remove all the wheels and deal with them together!

As you can see in the above picture these wheels were quite dirty. The owner of this vehicle mentioned how these wheels would look like this most of the time and how difficult it was to clean them. Next to enhance protection, ease of cleaning is the greatest benefit of applying a coating on wheels. Dirt release is much greater when a coating is applied.

Another look at the brake dust that is built up on the barrel of the wheels.

The barrels and faces of the wheels were thoroughly cleaned using CarPro IronX. For more information on IronX take a look at my previous review of CarPro Iron X Iron Remover. This is also a good time to clean the back side of the tire while they are off the car. It is very important to have a nice clean surface when applying coatings.

Directions:

Be sure the polish the surface of the wheel if needed

Clean the surface to remove any oils and with a product like Eraser or IPA.

Use a clean auto detailing cloth or suede microfiber to wipe it off gently, in a circle motion, until no streaks are left behind.

Try not to over work the product as you can get streaks if the product begins to set while you are still applying it. It is also important to note that it takes 1-3 hours for DLUX to properly cure, and that the vehicle should not be used during this time. If the surface would get wet within the first 24 hours after application you will want to wipe the surface before it dries, and you will want to avoid washing the wheels for at least three (3) days.

I used an airbrush for the application of the DLUX on the wheels in this example. For more information on applying wheel coatings via airbrush, take a look at my blog post titled “Airbrush Application – Wheel Coatings“.

I also used an Infra Red Curing lamp after applying the coating. This will speed up the curing process, allowing the wheel to be fully cured within typically minutes, rather then days!

CQuartz DLUX is a great option for any vehicle, with the ability to keep your wheels and trim protected for years rather than days or months!

]]>http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/product-review-carpro-dlux-plastic-and-wheel-coating-2/feed/9Detailer’s…Lets see your 50/50 Shots!http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/detailers-lets-see-your-5050-shots/
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/detailers-lets-see-your-5050-shots/#commentsThu, 17 Mar 2016 12:00:47 +0000http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/?p=19212This is a short article where I am going to try something different. I thought we needed some more interaction with our readers, so I want to see YOUR paint correction 50/50 shots! I will then go through and pick 3 of the best 50/50 shots and share them in another post. We will then all vote on the best and that person will win a surprise gift! Check out my correction shot below and a breakdown of how you should comment to enter the contest:

Comments Should Include:

Name and Business: Greg Gellas/Signature Detailing

Pads Used: Meguiar’s MF Finishing Disc/Rupes Yellow Pad

Polishes Used: Meguiar’s M205

Link to Your Photo

If you are looking for some help on how to capture the best 50/50 shot, or just general photography help, check out the three great posts from Zach McGovern below:

There are a lot of products on the market geared toward dressing your trim and returning it to a nice dark finish again. However, most dressing will only remain this way for a small period of time before the trim returns to the condition it was in before you applied the dressing. This is where a product like 22ple VR1 Plastic and Trim Restorer is better suited. I have used many trim coatings of various brands and find 22ple VR1 to be better suited for trim that is in good condition with only minor fading. VR1 is safe for use on all types of plastic, and is formulated to provide roughly one (1) year of protection on the pieces it is applied to.

As with all my posts, here is the product description as provided on Detailed Images site.

Product Description

22ple VR1 will restore and protect your new or old plastic trim pieces with ease! Traditional trim products provide only a few weeks of protection and they can wash off or fade relatively quick. VR1 will protect your trim for well over a year and it will not streak or wash off right after! You will be amazed at how well it will rejuvenate your old trim pieces, but don’t forget it can help preserve brand new trim as well. Use it on any color trim and the surface will instantly have a deep rich color with an astonishing amount of protection. Like the rest of the 22ple products, a hardened high silica-content glass barrier will coat the surface protecting it from harmful everyday elements. This barrier will leave your trim pieces feeling slick and contaminates will wash off the surface safely and easily. You will be amazed at how much easier washing and drying your trim will be with this product applied! If you are looking for a product to rejuvenate and protect your plastic trim pieces, then 22ple VR1 is for you!

For this review I am going to applying 22ple VR1 on the trim pieces of a 2010 Volkswagen GTI. The car was washed and chemically decon’d to receive a multi-stage paint correction and professional coating on the painted surfaces. Applying a trim coating on your trim will always added that extra pop to set off the rest of the detail. It is always the small things like properly doing trim pieces that can set your work above others.

This is a picture of the rear valance on the GTI after being cleaned. Before this picture was taken I wiped the piece down with Einszett Plastik Reiniger Plastic Deep Cleaner on an all-purpose microfiber towel. You want to be certain that the plastic is fully clean. You will notice slight tiger striping on this piece, which is very common as plastic pieces begin to degrade.

I proceeded to apply 22ple VR1 using a 4″x4″ Carpro Suede Microfiber folded in half, or you could use one of 22ple’s Double Sided Glass Coat Applicators. I find it easier to use the suede applicators however. You will apply a stripe of product across the applicator and begin applying the product. You will want try and keep the application as even as possible and not overload some areas while under applying in other areas.

This photo shows just after applying the product and as you can see there is no longer any tiger striping present on the plastic.

This is another piece of trim on the driver side rocker panel of the same vehicle. This piece is in better condition than the rear valance piece was. It looked to be in good shape after being cleaned like the previous piece.

You can see that the piece is definitely glossier along with a deeper rich color of black. 22ple claims that after curing over a period of roughly five (5) days that the trim will continue to darken until it is fully cured.

If you’re looking to take your already immaculate car to the next level, pick up some 22ple VR1 Trim and Plastic Restorer and make your trim look just as good as your paint and keep it that way.

Cars these days contain a lot of plastic pieces both on the interior and the exterior. Both of these areas these are exposed to exposed to a lot of elements that will build up on the surfaces. While most standard All Purposed Cleaners can work for cleaning these areas, they are not always the safest option. Einszett Plastik Reiniger Plastic Deep Cleaner is made specifically for use on plastics on both the interior and exterior of your vehicle. This is great to use on exterior trim before applying a coating such as CarPro DLUX or 22ple VR1 as it provides a nice clean surface for the coating to bond to. It is also great for areas on your interior that are handled quite frequently where oils from your skin will build up such as the steering wheel, turn signal switch and shift knobs.

Here is the product description and directions as provided on the product.

Directions

Directions: Test for compatibility before use by applying to hidden area to ensure that it is suitable for use. DO NOT apply in direct sunlight or on hot surfaces or discoloration may occur. DO NOT allow product to dry or allow to work for more than 3 minutes. Spray in moderation over the area to be cleaned. Remove dirt immediately by rubbing with a cloth or applicator sponge. Wipe excess cleaner with a clean, damp cloth. After use, turn spray seal to close. Use only as directed. Please recycle empty container if possible.

This is an example on a vehicle I worked on recently that was being cleaned up to sell. All of the black trim on the exterior of the vehicle looked weathered and aged due to being exposed to the elements and not being maintained very well. This was after the vehicle was thoroughly washed and dried. The wash process was not very successful at cleaning up the trim. It was obvious a stronger more specialized product would be required as is often the case.

When using Plastic Deep Cleaner, I like to spray it on an All Purpose Microfiber Towel rather than directly onto the surface. I like doing it this way as you do not get over spray all over the surfaces around the area that you are cleaning, however it is perfectly fine to simply spray it on the panel and wipe it that way also. A few sprays on to the towel and you are set to begin cleaning. Very little explanation is needed for this process as you simply begin to scrub/wipe the area that needs cleaned.

As you can see this leaves you with deep and dark looking trim as it would have looked when new. At this point you could apply a trim dressing or coating to further enhance the looks of the trim on the exterior or interior of your vehicle and keep it protected.

Note: Einszett has closed and reopened as Nextzett. For more information, click here to read the blog post on the change.

Here is a topic that hits home for me and something I’ve been struggling with for a couple years now. I feel it pertains to a majority of detailing companies and people in general all over the world, particularly folks in the subtropical locations. Skin Cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the United States, fair-skin people like myself especially. However, it can creep up on you no matter where you are.

There are 3 common types of skin cancer (Basal Cell, Squamous Cell & Melanoma) and in that order of harmfulness. As I began to look further into skin cancers over the course of the last two years or so, I get frustrated about it because it is kind of unavoidable. The only real prevention is to stay clear of the sun…okay, how do I do that living in the sunshine state? This particular problem will probably change my life since I’ve always been an outdoors person. I’ve had two major Mohs surgery’s during 2015 (both on my neck and in the same general location, my driver’s side) to remove rather large and aggressive squamous cells carcinoma (SCC). The first procedure they cut a hole in the side of my neck almost the size of a golf ball and the second (10 months later) about the size of a quarter. I have so much scare tissue right below my left ear I don’t think it will ever feel the same again and most likely I’ll require more mohs procedures in the future. Having the privilege to be an author here at Detailed Image gives me the ability to reach more viewers with my post and help spread the awareness. As I have been getting older, my concentration has been to be more helpful to the people around me. I could have protected myself better in my early 20’s and this is the reason I thought this would be a good article for all of you DI readers. We become educated because of our mistakes and we as DI authors are here to help so that you don’t make these mistakes.

Let’s compare skin cancer to vehicle care for a second: What happens to car materials when they’re unprotected for many years? Unprotected paint will fade and oxidize, trim and tires will dry and crack, you get the point! Skin cancer is like paint oxidation and it’s either sever or mild, but at the end of the day it’s still oxidized and will never be the same again.

A majority of people do their car cleaning and detailing outdoors and mostly on nice days, I would imagine. I see it all the time here in the state of Florida, everybody out trying to get some sun while washing the car (note: washing your car in direct sun can cause problems to the paint, such as water spots for example). If it’s a periodical thing it’s not so bad but if you’re out in the sun detailing day-in and day-out, you’re asking for trouble (with mobile detailing especially). I spent most of my 20’s working outdoors or hitting the beach thinking my skin would adjust and I was not protecting myself like I should’ve been. I ran a mobile operation my first 6 years in detailing, working sun up to sun down on the asphalt. It wasn’t till many years later that it all caught up to me and the damage was done! Over the last 6 plus years till now I’ve done a really good job at not working outdoors too much, my time at the beach has mostly been during sunsets and when I visit theme parks with the family I’m wearing sunblock and a hat. This is how I know it could have been prevented to a degree. I knew fair skin ran in my family, I have been crispy fried and burnt more times than I can count and I hate the doctors. Bad on me for thinking I’m invincible…

I try to stay on top of it now by putting on a special order AVEENO PROTECT + HYDRATE Lotion Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 every morning whether I’m in the sun or not. I’ve yet to find this product in any store, but it’s been the only SPF that doesn’t cause irritation to my skin. I like it because it’s not greasy and oily as well. I had tried several samples from the doctors this year to find a good match for me. Clothing gear from Coolibar.com will be the outdoor work attire from now on, we’ll just take it over to the embroidery shop for some special added touches.

Prevention:

Wear sunblock

Cover your skin (hat etc.)

Visit the dermatologist once a year

Skin Cancer Types:

Basal Cell

Squamous Cell

Melanoma

Skin Cancer Facts:

90% of skin cancer is caused from ultraviolet radiation from the sun (most common form of cancer – about 3.5 million cases a year in the US)

Over 3 thousand deaths a year from advanced cell occurrences (we’re talking 10 plus years of neglecting of treatment for this to happen)

You can get it no matter what your skin color is – light or dark

Chemical Exposure increases the risk

Men are more likely to develop skin cancers than women (but not excluding)

50% of people over the age of 50 will most likely be visiting the dermatologist

One bad burn at childhood doubles the risk later in life

and most images you’ll see by googling skin cancer will scare you silly

Protection:

Much like all the talk we as detailers say about protecting the car, UV protection for the paint, best protection etc. etc. PROTECT YOUR SKIN

Sunblock

Apparel (www.coolibar.com)

Vehicle Window Tint

It’s so easy for us as detailers to be neglectful, a lot of us even neglect our own cars because we don’t have the time or it’s the last thing we want to do when not working. As I’ve humbly admitted to my own mistakes, I will say, our cars are replaceable, we are not! Be sure to protect yourself when outside working! Thank You for taking the time to read and I wish you all good health!